Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-01-28
slsMARcNs OPPONENTS,
windthorst and Richter, who spok,
Against the Army Bill.

Windthorst and Richter, Who Spoke
Against the Army Bill.
Especial correspondence.
BERLIN, Jan. 12.-All Europe is excited
over the debate in the reichstag between Bis
marck on one side and DR.. Windthorst and
DR.. Richter, leaders of the Clerical party and
the Progressists, on the other, on the army
bill, and / suppose that the excitement has
in some degree extended to tho United States.
Let me make this an occasion for'giving your
readers some few facts concerning the two
remarkable men who have opposed Bismarck
men who, though widely differing on many
subjects and in many debates, were united on
this occasion.
Ludwig Windthorst, leader of the Clericals,
is an intellectual giant but a physical dwarf.
He has a fine head of flowing, white hair and
wears gold-rimmed spectacles. He is called
by his admirers "the pearl of Meppen," a
place famous for nothing but that it has pro-
duced him. He was born Nov. 10, 1912.
and, notwithstanding his advanced age, is
still vigorous. He studied law in Goettingen,
Heidelberg, and practiced until he was
appointed presiding councillor of the
consistory at Osnabruck. Hanover was
then an independent kingdom, with a
hatred Of Prussia. Windthorst was a member
OF the Hanoverian house OF delegates from
1s49 to 1865. In 1851 he was the president.
and after Sadowa made a national reputa.
ton in his defense of poor King George
against King William, wrestling from the
latter's hands the Guelph fund, which was
finally granted the blind king. LII 1867
Windthorst was elected to the Prussiap
house of deputies, and then to the
reichstag. When he speaks his sem
farnac o,a o1o,r ,,,A - $3.50
ideas flow logically. His achievements
on the floor of the raichstag won for him in
1871 the title of the "little excellency.n He
has shown himself to be more than Bis.
marck's equal in parliamentarian tactics on
more than one occasion. The speaker never
has to call Windthorst to order, for he ALWAYS
sticks to the matter under discussion and
never makes misstatements He is never
abusive nor coarse, but he often exposes his
opponent to derision by the use Of clever in
nuendo. His greatest stroke was his success
full Urging of the abolition Of the law exiting
refractory %clergymen.
Eugene Richter is a very different man
Windthorst is the pink of politeness, Richter
is the reverse. Windthorst defends the ideas
of the past, Richter fights in the vanguard Of
progress. Windthorst is a pigmy in size.
Richter is a giant. Windthorst is an arjsto.
crat, Richter is a plebeian. Socially they do
not consort. They hate each other
bitterly, but their intense dislike for
Bismarck often brings them together.
Richter was born July 90, 1888, in Dusseldorf.
He studied Jurisprudence and national
economy in Bonn, Heidelberg and Berlin. In
1864, be was enrolled in the government SER
vices, but his socialistic ideas got him into
rouble. Afterward, he was elected a
of Neuwild, but the government would not
sanction the election. A year later. he was
ordered transferred to Bomberg, but was in.
dlgnant at the proposed change, and threw
up his position and moved to Berlin. Since
then he has devoted himself to political
and journalistic work. The present efficient
organization of the Progressist party is nj.
most entirely due to his skill and zeal as an
organizer. He las become the m%outhpiece of
the people, ard often is naturally arrayed
against the Clerical party. He has a wonder
full memory and has fought successfully the
proposed governmental alcohol monopoly.
the increased corn duty, state control of the
railroads and other projects tending to CEN
tralization. AT first he sided with the gov
ernment to bring about the May laws against
Catholicism, but seeing Bismarck SO firmly
wrapped up in this measure, he opposed it
tooth and nail. In 1856 he founded a Liberal
journal, and he grows more radical every
year. He has moro enemies than friends
among those who hold office, but he is the
IDOL Oh the Berlin masses. j. K. s..